Hidden Scroll steps way up in Gulfstream’s Fountain of Youth

The Fountain of Youth boasts the winners of stakes in Kentucky and New York as well as the runners-up in Belmont’s prestigious Champagne Stakes and Gulfstream’s Holy Bull. However, much of the buzz heading into Gulfstream’s final dress rehearsal for the Florida Derby surrounds a colt who has beaten only horses who had never won a race.

Hidden Scroll, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, electrified the crowd on Pegasus Day when he went wire to wire to win a maiden race by 14 lengths. Whether the reference point is the Beyers in the Racing Form or the more sophisticated Thorograph sheets, Hidden Scroll’s “fig” was on par with Justified’s debut a year ago, his first step toward a sweep of the Triple Crown.

However, there are reasons to proceed with caution. It was only a maiden race. There were some highly regarded horses from fancy barns in the field but they were still non-winners. Hidden Scroll will be trying to stretch his speed around two turns in the mile and a sixteenth stakes. Moreover, Hidden Scroll’s eye-catching performance came on a sloppy track on a day when speed was more of an asset than usual.

Saturday he faces 10 opponents, several of whom have come up big at the highest levels. Signalman won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, was second in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita. He makes his 3-year-old debut for trainer Ken McPeek, who sent out Harvey Wallbanger to win the Holy Bull under similar circumstances. Signalman dusted Harvey Wallbanger in a recent team workout.

Vekoma, also making his seasonal debut, was 2-for-2 last fall in New York, closing out his juvenile campaign with a decisive win in the Nashua Stakes. Among the horses who have trailed him home in those two races are Call Paul, who has won two stakes since, including the Swale, and Mihos, winner of the Mucho Macho Stakes.

Everfast, second in the Holy Bull as a 128-1 outsider, will attempt to show that was not a fluke for trainer Dale Romans.

Hidden Scroll is not the only undefeated colt stepping into stakes company. Global Campaign has been grabbing attention with a pair of smart wins.

Code of Honor, a disappointment as an odds-on favorite in the Mucho Macho Man after finishing second in the Champagne, will try to reassert himself into the Classics picture. Trainer Shug McGaughey speculated he might not have trained Code of Honor hard enough for his 3-year-old debut and has been more aggressive heading into the Fountain of Youth.

The rest of the field includes long shots Bourbon War, a recent Gulfstream allowance winner; Epic Dreamer; Gladiator King; Frosted Grace and Union’s Destiny

In addition to the major portion of the $400,000 purse, the Fountain of Youth offers the winner 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, which has been more than enough for a berth in the starting gate since the points system was instituted seven years ago.

The Fountain of Youth heads a 14-race card, which includes eight other stakes. The most significant is the Davona Dale, in which Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and Eclipse champion Jaywalk makes her 3-year-old debut.